His Word Today

²⁵ “And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. ²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:25–27 (ESV)

Jesus’ miracles always generated a response. People responded to Jesus with gratitude, praise, wonder and, with respect to the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, hatred. Very rarely, if at all, were people ambivalent when Jesus revealed His power, presence and personhood as God in the flesh.

One interesting response to the Lord because of His miracles was fear. The disciples feared Jesus when He stilled the storm (Matt. 8:23-25; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25). The Gadarenes feared Jesus when He cast out the demons (Matt. 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:34-39). It was this reaction that Jesus was mindful of when He approached the disciples in the midst of yet another storm on the Sea of Galilee.  

Following the feeding of the 5,000 men (Matt. 14:13-21), Jesus instructed His disciples to get into a boat and sail to Bethsaida, located on the western shore (Matt. 14:22; Mark 6:45).  He then dismissed the crowd and went into the surrounding mountainside to pray (Matt. 14:23). As evening came, the disciples battled an intense storm that prevented them from safely reaching shore (Matt. 14:24).

It was during the fourth watch, between the hours of 3:00 am – 6:00 am, while they still battled the winds and waves that Jesus approached them by walking on the water. It was once again an occasion that Jesus miraculously revealed His power, person and presence before His disciples.

As in the previously mentioned storm account, the disciples were terrified (ταράσσω; tarasso). In other words, they were greatly disturbed and distressed. This was not so much because of the surrounding storm but rather because of the approaching Lord.  

They screamed out in fear, ““It is a ghost!” Their cry was from the depths of their being. The fear of the dangerous storm gave way to the disciples’ terror at the approaching figure they believed to be an apparition or ghoul.

Sensing their fear, Jesus immediately said to them, ““Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Jesus continually assured the disciples they had nothing to fear. He commanded them to have courage or to be cheerful because it was Him. He then commanded them to not be afraid.

“Christ’s walking on water was a revelation of His deity. In the Old Testament, only God can control the wind and the sea, and He is even said to walk or trample on the waves in passages such as Job 9:8. By walking on water, Jesus showed that He shares the same abilities as God Himself and is therefore true deity,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Furthermore, the English phrase “it is I” spoken by Jesus (v. 50) translates the Greek phrase egõ eimi. That is significant because God uses egõ eimi to describe Himself in Exodus 3 (in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible), and the same phrase is used repeatedly by Jesus in John’s gospel (John 6; 8; 9; 10; 11; 14; 15).  

Jesus’ walking on the water was not intended to be entertaining for the disciples. Neither was the feeding of the crowd with two fish and five loaves of bread. Rather, miracles are moments of God’s self-disclosure of His person, power and presence. Have you encountered a miracles recently?

Soli deo Gloria!                                                                                                                            

²² “Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³ And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴ but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.” (Matthew 14:22–24 (ESV)

Immediately following Jesus’ miracle in feeding over 20,000 people (Matt. 14:13-21), He compelled His disciples get into their boat while He dismissed the crowds. He instructed the twelve to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to the western shore town of Bethsaida (Mark 6:45; Matt. 11:21). The phase He made (ἀναγκάζω; anankazo) could imply that the disciples were reluctant to leave Jesus behind.

Jesus dismissed the crowds. This could have taken some time seeing how many were in attendance and that they also desired to make Him their king (John 6:15-21). Following this, Jesus went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. The entire eastern side of the Sea of Galilee is mountainous containing many slopes and plateaus. This would have been an ideal and isolated location for prayer.

“Being fully aware of the weaknesses of his own disciples, for whom cooperation with the throng in it unholy political planning constituted a real temptation (Matt. 20:20; Acts 1:6), the Lord first of all cause his constant companions to get into a boat and to go ahead of him to the other side,” explains commentator Dr. William Hendricksen.

Today’s text does not tell us when Jesus went up on the mountain to pray. All it does say is that when evening came, Jesus was there alone. Perhaps others had followed Him only to retreat back to their villages with the advent of nightfall. Jesus wanted to be by Himself.

“During his earthly sojourn, Jesus spent much time in prayer. He prayed in lonely places, on a hill, in Gethsemane; in the morning, in the evening, sometimes all night (Mark 1:35; 6:46; Luke 5:15-16; 6:12; 9:18; 23:41-42; Heb. 5:7),” states Dr. Hendricksen.

Meanwhile, the disciples were still in their boat and a long way from the shore. This was because they encountered rough seas on the lake. The swells continually tormented and stressed the boat, and presumably the disciples. This was because they were sailing against the wind in order to reach shore. Mark recorded that they were making headway painfully (Mark 6:48).

“Normally in traveling across the northern end of the lake they would have been within 1 or 2 miles of shore. But on that occasion, the wind had carried the boat several miles south, closer to the center of the lake (cf. Matt. 14:24),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

As often was the case on the Sea of Galilee, an intense storm was against the disciples (Matt. 8:23-27). However, this time Jesus was not in the boat with the disciples. Mark recorded that Jesus, alone on the shore, saw that the boat was in troubling seas (Mark 6:47).

This scene would set the stage for another revelatory miracle by the Lord. The purpose of which was to show His power, presence and person. He does so today. Do we have the eyes, ears and discernment to notice?

Soli deo Gloria!

Does God still perform miracles today? In other words, does the Lord continue to reveal His person, power and presence in the lives of believers today as He did in Scripture?

Amazingly, there are believers in Christ who insist that that God either does not perform miracles today, or only in a limited capacity. Rather, they articulate an unconscious, Deistic worldview that while God is creator, He is not the sustainer of life; physical or spiritual. The Scriptures teach otherwise (Acts 17:28; Heb. 1:1-3).

We must remember that miracles are not just about an event and a desired outcome. Rather, it is a moment in which God reveals who He is; not only by His providential presence but also by providential circumstances or His purposeful sovereignty.

“A great deal of confusion on the subject of miracles has been caused by a failure to observe that Scripture does not sharply distinguish between God’s constant sovereign providence and his particular acts. Belief in miracles is set in the context of a world-view which regards the whole of creation as continually dependent upon the sustaining activity of God and subject to his sovereign will (cf. Col. 1:16–17). All three aspects of divine activity—wonder, power, significance—are present not only in special acts but also in the whole created order (Rom. 1:20). When the psalmist celebrates the mighty acts of God he moves readily from the creation to the deliverance from Egypt (Ps. 135:6–12),” explains the New Bible Dictionary.

How often have we ignored or at least been unobservant of God’s miraculous works in our lives? Have you considered that the very nature of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone is a miracle? The sinner’s conversion is by a divine act of God in which He raises the spiritually dead to new life in Christ (Eph. 2:1-10). If that is not miraculous, I do not know what is.

“At the wedding in Cana, Jesus turned water into wine. This was not done as a crowd-pleasing stunt, something to while away the minutes between the hors d’oeuvres and the entree. Jesus did it to show who He is and that we should turn to Him. In fact, one of the main words used for miracles in the New Testament is more commonly translated as “sign.” And like any sign, Jesus’ miracle at Cana pointed away from itself. It pointed to the reality that standing right there in front of them, at a wedding reception, was God in the flesh,” states Bible teacher Barry Cooper.  

Take time to observe the events of your life today. How many moments does God choose to reveal Himself: in Scripture, in providential circumstances and by the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Do you recognize these as purposeful, sovereign signs that God is real, He is here and He cares for you?

Perhaps it may be wise to begin keeping a Miracle Journal. Begin recording your thoughts when God illuminates an accurate truth of Scripture to you, or a situation that cannot be explained as a coincidence occurs. You may be amazed that you too believe in miracles.

Soli deo Gloria!  

¹⁵ “Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” ¹⁶ But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” ¹⁷ They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” ¹⁸ And he said, “Bring them here to me.” ¹⁹ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ²⁰ And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. ²¹ And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.” (Matthew 14:15–21 (ESV)

The miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand is one of the few miracles, besides Jesus’ resurrection, that is recorded in all four Gospels (Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15). It parallels the Lord’s providential provision of Manna in the wilderness for Israel.

When evening came, Jesus’ disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Matthew recorded that there 5,000 men besides women and children in the crowd. There is the distinct possibility that the size of the crowd exceeded 20,000 people.

Contributing to the situation was there was no available food, except for what might be bought in the neighboring villages. Apparently, the disciples were not interested in taking care of such a large group of people. ¹⁶ But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”

“Bread and fish were basic staples of the Palestinian diet; meat was more expensive and rarely eaten except at feasts. Teachers were not normally responsible for feeding their disciples from their own means,” explains commentator Craig Keener.

“Ancient students often paid their teachers (though other teachers were self-supporting); it was honorable to invite teachers to dinner and to show them the utmost hospitality. But here Jesus, the teacher, assumes the role of host or provider. (Although disciples often viewed teachers as father figures, teachers rarely had the resources to provide for disciples out of their own means.) The ancient emphasis on hospitality included providing food as well as shelter for guests.”  

Jesus directed the people to sit down on the grass. The sat down in groups by hundreds and by fifties (Mark 6:40; Luke 9:14). Jesus then look up to heaven and said a blessing or gave thanks for the food. Jesus than began breaking the loaves, gave the broken pieces to the disciples, and the disciples began giving them to the people. Jesus also divided the fish and among them all also (Mark 6:42).

The people ate and were satisfied (χορτάζω; chartazo). The people ate until they were full. The twelve disciples, perhaps with baskets they each normally carried with them, collected the remaining bread and fish (Mark 6:42).   

The disciples only saw the impossibility of the situation. Jesus understood the opportunity to reveal Himself as God and to provide an object lesson that He alone was the Bread of Life (John 6:35-66). He alone is the only One who can fully satisfy the longing in peoples’ souls.

“This miracle provided a starting point for Jesus’ famous Bread of Life Discourse,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.  “Jesus’ willingness to provide for the needs of a crowd consisting of those who were not His dedicated disciples proves how much we can trust Him to provide for us.”

“If he took care of those who were led to him only by a sudden impulse, how would he desert us, if we seek him with a firm and steady purpose,” asks John Calvin.

Miracles were not merely to resolve a particular and problematic situation. Jesus viewed them as opportunities to reveal to people that He was, and is, the One, True God; Emmanuel.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹³ “Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:13–14 (ESV)

The miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand is one of the few miracles, besides Jesus’ resurrection, that is recorded in all four Gospels (Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15). It parallels the Lord’s providential provision of Manna in the wilderness for Israel. Matthew’s account is more precise while the Gospel of John’s narrative contains more detail.   

“The miracle Matthew describes in today’s passage, the feeding of the five thousand (14:13–21), is a wonderful event in which Jesus actually provides food for as many as fifteen or twenty thousand (most of the five thousand men present would have had women and children from their families with them). From a human perspective it is remarkable that there was an occasion for this miracle to take place at all,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

What exactly is a miracle? A miracle is a divine act by which God reveals himself to people.God’s revelation of Himself involves not only His personal character but also His sovereign work. Many of the miracles of the Bible used nature rather than bypassed it (e.g., the wind that parted the Red Sea, Ex. 14:21). A miracle can also be a phenomenon that is not readily explainable and may reflect laws that scientists do not yet fully understand.

In Scripture the element of faith is crucial; a natural approach cannot prove or disprove the presence of a “miracle.” The timing and content of the process can be miraculous, even though the event may seem natural. In every case in Scripture, God performed a miracle not merely as a “wonder” to inspire awe but as a “sign” to draw people to himself.

The purpose of miracles was to divide the audience and confront it with the necessity of decision. Two camps result—those seeking understanding and those considering only the outward aspects of the miracle and condemning.

Matthew recorded the setting for this miraculous provision of food in the immediate aftermath of John the Baptist’s martyrdom (Matt. 14:1-12). Upon hearing the news of John’s death, Jesus withdrew from his hometown of Nazareth (Matt. 13:53-58), got into a boat and sailed to a desolate place to be alone.

Soon thereafter, the Galilean crowds heard that Jesus was nearby, they left their towns and began following Him on foot. When Jesus arrived on shore, He saw the great crowd. Crowd (ὄχλος; achios) refers to a multitude. Rather than an unruly mob, this was a large, peaceful gathering of many people.

When He saw the multitude of people, He had compassion on them. To have compassion (σπλαγχνίζομαι; splanchnizomai) means to have pity. One of the reasons for Jesus to have pity on the people, and one of the reasons the people sought out Jesus, was because many of them were sick. Jesus revealed Himself to be God by healing the sick.

The stage was set for a miraculous moment. Have a blessed day as you consider how God is revealing Himself to you today through the Scriptures, along with the providential circumstances of life.

Soli deo Gloria!  

⁵ “And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. ⁶ But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, ⁷ so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” ⁹ And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. ¹⁰ He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, ¹¹ and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. ¹² And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.” (Matthew 14:5–12 (ESV)

Herod Antipas was a shrewd politician, as most successful politicians are. He wanted to execute John the Baptist for publically confronting him regarding his adulterous relationship with Herodias, his brother Phillip’s wife. He wanted to put John to death. Herod had the authority from the Roman government to do so. But why didn’t he?

Today’s text tells us that Herod’s hesitation in executing John was because he was afraid of how the people would react. The Jews looked upon John as a prophet of God. They viewed him as an inspired, and inspiring, preacher.  Herod gauged the public’s support for John and knew that to kill him would adversely impact his fragile popularity as king. However, unfolding circumstances have a way of changing a politician’s, or in this case a king’s, mind.  

Herod’s birthday was comping up. That meant that there would be a birthday party on his behalf.

“Jewish people did not normally celebrate birthdays in this period (Josephus declares celebrating birthdays forbidden). But though most Jews considered birthday celebrations a Gentile custom, the aristocracy evinced considerable Greek influence,” explains Craig Keener.

At his party, Herodias’ daughter danced before Herod and all his guests. The Jewish historian Josephus identified her as Salome. Her performance pleased Herod so much that he publicly promised, with a solemn oath, that she could have whatever she asked for as an honorarium.

Prompted by her mother, Salome said, ““Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” Such a request provides us with an understanding of Herodias’ and Salome’s morality; or lack thereof.

Herod was not happy. He was caught in a no-win situation. To fail to fulfill his public oath to Salome would mean embarrassment and humiliation before all his guests. To comply with her request would result in a negative reaction by the citizenry. Ultimately, Herod decided his status with his friends was important that doing what was right before God and the people.

Therefore, Herod had John beheaded. John’s head was brought to the girl. She in turn brought it to her mother. John’s disciples then came and took and buried John’s body.

The likelihood is that John never married and had no sons to be in charge of his burial. Therefore, John’s disciples stepped in to take care of this responsibility.

Luke 17:7-10 reminds us that even when we face trials, and perhaps martyrdom, for serving the Lord Jesus Christ, we are only doing our duty. John did not die a failure. Rather, he fulfilled the responsibilities God providentially planned for him. God will also fulfill His purposeful and sovereign plans in your life.

Soli deo Gloria!

“At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, ² and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ³ For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴ because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”  (Matthew 14:1–3 ESV)

Returning to our study of the Gospel of Matthew, the apostle reminds believers in Christ about the cost of following the Lord. Sometimes we may find ourselves suffering persecution because of our faith. This is a recurring theme in the Scriptures (Dan. 1; 3; Matt. 5:10-12). This truth is illustrated in the life of John the Baptist.

Today’s text states that John was dead. This occurred when Herod Antipas, one of the sons of Herod the Great (Matt. 2) was tetrarch in Galliee and Perea. He was one of four rulers following the death of his father. A tetrarch (τετραάρχης; tetraaarches) was a ruler with a rank and authority lower than that of a king and one who ruled only with the approval of Roman authorities.

 “Antipas appears in the New Testament more frequently than any other member of the Herodian dynasty—his rule coincided with the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus. The gospel writers refer to Antipas only as “Herod”—Antipas adopted this name in ad 6,” explains the Lexham Bible Dictionary.

Herod heard what was being said about Jesus. He said to his servants, ““This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” Perhaps there is a tone of fear in Herod’s exclamation to his attendants. This was because Herod had seized John, bound him and put him in prison. The reason for Herod’s behavior toward John was because John spoke out against Herod because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

Philip the Tetrarch was also a son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra of Jerusalem. Along with his brother, he too ruled over a portion of his father’s former kingdom Phillip was married to Herodias but began an affair with her brother-in-law Herod Antipas.

“Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, another son of Herod the Great; so when she married Philip, she was marrying her own father’s nephew. What precipitated the arrest of John the Baptist was that Herod Antipas (another of Herodias’s cousins) talked Herodias into leaving her husband (his brother) in order to marry him (Mark 6:17)—thus compounding the incest, as well as violating Lev. 18:16. John was outraged that a ruler in Israel would commit such a sin openly, so he rebuked Herod severely (Matt. 14:4). For this, he was imprisoned and later killed (Mark 6:14–29),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

Rebuking sin (Luke 17:3-4) is not to be taken lightly. It may result in retaliation by the one you rebuke. However, humbly confronting sin is the Lord’s will, in spite of the consequences.

Soli deo Gloria!  

We conclude this brief biography with the following and enduring quotations by J. Gresham Machen.   

“Modern culture is a mighty force. It is either subservient to the gospel or else it is the deadliest enemy of the gospel” ~ John Gresham Machen

“Again, men tell us that our preaching should be positive and not negative, that we can preach the truth without attacking error. But if we follow that advice we shall have to close our Bible and desert its teachings. The New Testament is a polemic book almost from beginning to end … It is when men have felt compelled to take a stand against error that they have risen to the really great heights in the celebration of the truth” ~ John Gresham Machen

“Let us not fear the opposition of men; every great movement in the Church from Paul down to modern times has been criticized on the ground that it promoted scensoriousness and intolerance and disputing. Of course the gospel of Christ, in a world of sin and doubt will cause disputing; and if does not cause disputing and arrouse bitter opposition, that is a fairly sure sign that it is not being faithfully proclaimed.” ~ John Gresham Machen

“Place the lives of children in their formative years, despite the convictions of their parents, under the intimate control of experts appointed by the state, force them to attend schools where the higher aspirations of humanity are crushed out, and where the mind is filled with the materialism of the day, and it is difficult to see how even the remnants of liberty can subsist.” ~ John Gresham Machen

“Christianity is not engrossed by this transitory world, but measures all things by the thought of eternity.” ~ John Gresham Machen

“A Christian boy or girl can learn mathematics, for example, from a teacher who is not a Christian; and truth is truth however learned. But while truth is truth however learned, the bearing of truth, the meaning of truth, the purpose of truth, even in the sphere of mathematics, seem entirely different to the Christian from that which they seem to the non-Christian; and that is why a truly Christian education is possible only when Christian conviction underlies not a part but all, of the curriculum of the school.” ~ John Gresham Machen

“Christ died”–that is history; “Christ died for our sins”–that is doctrine. Without these two elements, joined in an absolutely indissoluble union, there is no Christianity.” ~ John Gresham Machen

If you’re interested in knowing more about J. Gresham Machen, I recommend you access the following books and resources.

• Monergism.com. This is a wonderful resource for Reformed Theology and contains numerous articles and sermons by Machen. Also available are several eBooks that are a free download.   
• What is Faith? Machen addresses one of the most fundamental questions about the Christian gospel. In his graceful style he expounds the biblical teaching on faith.
• The Virgin Birth of Christ. Machen’s magnum opus.
• The Origin of Paul’s Religion. Machen’s lectures that are presented in this book were given at a time when Biblical criticism that rejected supernaturalism, Bible inspiration, and Biblical historicity.
• The Person of Jesus. Transcripts from radio messages Machen gave on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Soli deo Gloria!